Sport fishing has become an increasingly popular activity, and numerous devices have been developed to provide assistance in the luring, catching and handling of sport and game fish by sport fishermen. Generally, such articles have been devoted to the luring and catching of fish, with relatively little attention paid to the handling of the fish after capture. Nevertheless, some types of fish can still present hazards to a fisherman during the removal of hook(s) and the transfer of the fish from water to creel or other storage, etc.
Many, if not most, species of fish (e. g., the bass, which is an extremely popular game and food fish in the U.S.) which are sought by the typical angler, possess numerous relatively sharp teeth. Typically, a fisherman will have his/her hand in the mouth of the fish for the lifting of the fish from the water or other transport of the fish shortly after the catch, hook removal, etc.; the mouth of a fish provides a convenient means of handling the typical sport fish. However, the teeth of the fish render the hand of the fisherman quite vulnerable to at least minor injury, which may later become a major problem in the event of infection.
The need arises for a hand protector for use in fishing which not only protects at least a part of the hand of the wearer thereof from the teeth or other potential hazards of many fish, but which also provides a convenient means of lifting and transporting the fish by the mouth and teeth of the fish. Different embodiments must provide for differing amounts of cover for comfort in both warm and colder conditions and also provide for good tactile sense for the wearer thereof, as well as providing other features and benefits.